Does anyone know of a picture (or link to) that shows the inner working of an airbrush? How does an airbrush “pull” paint up from the paint bottle and mix it with the air? Is it because of the fast moving air above the paint that “suction” the paint up?
Thanks
It’s called a “venturi effect”. It’ works like a carburator on an engine. Or same as how a flute works. The fast moving air across a small hole will create a low pressure zone wich creates a vacuum into the hole. So the air rushing past the small hole makes a vacuum, which sucks the paint up and into the air stream.
Varrying the air speed and the relative hole size will alter the effect.
check here to see this effect on a carb.
These links should give you more than info regarding airbrushes
http://www.howtoairbrush.com/airbrushs.htm
http://www.airbrushtalk.com/part1.htm
http://www.manifestartstudio.com/pdf_downloads_gallery.htm
http://www.arttalk.com/pdf/Airbrush%20Getting%20Started%20Booklet.pdf
-Fred
It just occured to me that the venturi effect doesnt aply to gravity fed. I’v never used one or opened one up to see how they work.
Yes it does. In physics, things push, they don’t pull. Higher air pressure above the paint cup creates an unbalanced force with the low pressure created by fast moving air over the needle, pushing the paint down across the needle.
I did a project on them…